INVESTIGATION OF A CLOSED, INSULATED PALLET FOR GROWING NURSERY PLANTS

TO MEET CURRENT MULTIPLE CHALLENGES, GROWERS OF GREENHOUSE PLANTS AND CONTAINER-GROWN NURSERY PLANTS REQUIRE INNOVATIVEPRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY. AN INNOVATIVE CLOSED, INSULATED PALLET SYSTEM (CIPS) HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO MEET THESE CHALLENGES, INCLUDING: 1)ELIMINATION OF PRODUCTION RELATED POLLUTION (I.E. WASTEWATER DISCHARGE AND AERIAL DRIFT); 2) REDUCTION AND CONSERVATION OF ENERGY, CHEMICAL, SOIL AND WATER; 3)ELIMINATION OF MARKED, SEASONAL FLUCTUATION IN LABOR REQUIREMENT AND TOTAL LABOR REQUIREMENT THROUGH PALLETIZATION AND MECHANIZATION; 4)EFFECTIVE INTEGRATION OF BIOLOGICAL CONTROLS, BENEFICIAL MICROORGANISMS AND IMPROVEMENT OF PLANT PRODUCTION ENVIRONMENT THEREBY ENHANCING PLANT'S ABILTIY TO WITHSTAND PATHOGENS AND INSC INSECTS; 5)PLANT ROOT PROTECTION FROM TEMPERATURE EXTREMES AND FLUCTUATIONS; AND 6)MORE EFFICIENT PLANT HANDLING AND SHIPPING. ABILITY OF CIPS TO ADDRESS THESE CHALLENGES WILL BE STUDIED BY AN INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH TEAM FROM OREGONSTATE UNIVERSITY, OREGON GRADUATE CENTER AND USDA HORTICULTURAL CROPS RESEARCH LABORATORY COOPERATING WITH BRIGGS NURSERY STAFF TO : EVALUATE ALTERNATIVE CONSTRUCTIONMATERIALS; EVALUATE EFFECT OF VOLUME HEAT CAPACITY AND INSULATION CHARACTERISTICS ON UNIFORM, VIABLE ROOTZONE TEMPERATURE MAINTENANCE; ESTABLISH STABLE, ROOTZONE CHEMICALAND MOISTURE GRADIENTS AND BENEFICIAL MICROORGANISMS IN UNIQUE ROOTZONE NICHES; EVALUATE PLANT PATHOGEN EPIDEMIOLOGY. IF, THROUGH RESEARCH, HYPOTHESIZED PHYSICAL, CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL ADVANTAGES OF CIPS CAN BE REALIZED, INDUSTRY ADOPTION OF CIPS WOULD DRASTICALLY REDUCE WATER, CHEMICAL, ENERGY INPUTS INTO GREENHOUSE AND NURSERY CROP PRODUCTION AND WOULD ELIMINATE PRODUCTION RELATED POLLUTION. WOULD REDUCE WATER AND FERTILIZER UP TO 80%; ELIMINATE NURSERY OVERWINTERING COSTS (STRUCTURES AND PLANT MOVEMENT);DECREASE GREENHOUSE HEATING COSTS/ENERGY 60% OR MORE; INCREASE RELIABILITY OF ESTABLISHMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF BENEFICIAL BIOLOGICAL ORGANISMS IN ROOT ZONE AND EXPEDITE INTEGRATION OF BIOLOGICAL CONTROLS; FACILITATE MYCORRHIZAE AND OTHER BENEFICIAL MICROORGANISMS IN PRODUCTION SYSTEM TO INCREASE TRANSPLANT SURVIVAL.